Publication - more Information, covers

1 November 2011, Publication - more Information

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little.  I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon.  The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel.  Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing.  In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes.  You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published.  I'll keep you informed along the way.  At this moment, I'm showing you the marketing material I put together for a novel.

Today's Blog:  To see the steps in the publication process, go to my writing website www.ldalford.com and select "production schedule," you will be sent to www.SisterofLight.com. 

I gave you the list yesterday.  This is a good list because I took it right from one of my publisher's emails.  Do you remember the post where I told you about covers?  Well, I'm going to give some more about covers to you.  Here is the recommendation from my publisher:  "It is also helpful for me to know, as I kick off the cover design process on your book with our design team, what you are thinking re: characters, mood/tone, setting of your book. If I have not already done so (either with istock or shutterstock), please go to www.shutterstock.com (it’s free to look), and email me the photo numbers of 5-6 photos that say, to you, “These are the characters, setting, and mood of my book.” The photos may or may not work for a book cover, but they give our design team an inside peek at what you are thinking, and speed along the cover process."

I recommended that you design your own cover--look back a few weeks and see that post.    As I mentioned, your publisher will want some cover ideas from you.  Even if you give them a "great" cover idea, you need to be ready to accept their advice and recommendations.  They know the market better than you do, and they have expert cover designers who can put together something very eye catching and marketable.

If you look at the secret pages of my book sites, you can see my proposed covers and my publisher's recommended covers.  In some cases, I put two together.  All you need to do is give your publisher's cover designers a good start--they'll figure out the rest.
 Tomorrow, I'll tell you what to expect about the cover.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples:   http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites:  http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.